livvy
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 394
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Post by livvy on May 3, 2022 11:49:36 GMT -5
My family would have held on for half of that. I know their reasoning was they were sick of the cameras and just wanted a Christmas together but it was $10,000! Surprised the next book wasn't #93: Mallory and the Breach of Contract Lawsuit XD They didn't breech the contract. Mr Pike said he made sure they were able to cancel at anytime if they gave the money back. Which they did. I don't blame them for wanting channel 3 to leave. Having cameras around filming what should be a time for the family and friends would have been intrusive. Even if it was for ten thousand dollars. No money is worth spending time with your family.
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Post by oldmeanie on Mar 20, 2023 10:06:46 GMT -5
This was pretty good, I just wish it was written by a different ghostwriter (I really don't like how Peter L writes the Pikes. It wasn't THAT bad this time around, though). I liked Mal's idea of an old-fashioned Christmas.
Just wanted to point out this quote because it's exactly how I feel about the holidays: "Suddenly the holiday season felt about as much fun as a math exam. I was supposed to feel happy. I was supposed to be filled with the spirit of giving. Which was different from the “spirit of shopping,” whatever that meant." I feel that, especially lately, Christmas is a very forced holiday. I feel it more every year, especially since I can't seem to save money because of a holiday I don't even really believe in (and I get too fatigued to do handmade gifts for everybody. Holy crap do I feel for the Pikes). It's just turned into a consumerist holiday and I just don't care for it anymore...
Rant aside, I'll review the actual book now lol. One thing that stood out to me is that the Chapter 2 is freaking weird! There's isn't a "theme" to it, there are just so many weird comments. Examples: Mal says Kristy gets ideas likes most eighth graders get pimples. Mal being secretly glad she's an inch taller than Kristy because she and Jessi are "barf, gag, junior members." WTF? I think I remember reading that they didn't love the titles maybe once, but this just felt out of left field. Has this really come up before? Also, there seems to be resentment of Kristy here.
I'm just going to copy paste this one because it is truly weird: "Stacey grew up in New York City, which makes her one of the BSC’s three transplants. (She hates that term. It makes her sound like she’s a kidney or something.)" What?! So, for one thing, what qualifies as a BSC transplant? If I'm remembering correctly, there are at least 4 if we aren't counting Dawn after her big move: Stacey, Abby, Jessi, Logan (it's also super super convenient that a world-class baby-sitter moves to the Brook when they really need one). Maybe Logan doesn't count because he's an associate, but why wouldn't he? Just weird lol, same with the kidney comment. Then there's Abby saying which car parts are like each BSC member but leaving Mal and Jessi out (maybe that's what made Mal resent being a junior member).
I'm sorry my chapter 2 review is so long, it just stood out to me as super odd.
The rest of the book is alright. The Channel 3 crew is super obnoxious and I feel so bad for Mal when Mrs. Kronauer told her they can't come by anymore. How humiliating for Mal. For some reason, I couldn't get into the subplot otherwise aside from the Uncle Joe parts (I also felt horrible for him in that chapter).
I HATED Kristy in the BSC party chapter. Girl just kept blaming Mal for the Channel 3 crew not being there. It wasn't Mal's fault and honestly, she needed a break from them anyway. I'm wondering if Kristy's obnoxious behavior in this is kind of setting up $100. She does apologize in the end, but still.
I felt horrible for the Pikes when Jordan yelled that he hated this Christmas. It did suck, and I might be in the minority, but I don't blame the Pikes for ultimately pulling the plug on this show. They definitely deserved a nice family holiday and there was nothing old-fashioned about it with the crew there.
Loved Vanessa's gift to Mal, it was so sweet. Mal requested the best Christmas story ever written, and Vanessa gave her an empty journal saying, "It hasn't been written yet." Aww!
Yeah, pretty good overall, honestly just kind of painful to read. I'm an introvert, so not only does living at the Pikes' sound terrible, but having very obnoxious people pointing out their every mistake day after day sounds so miserable, especially when juxtaposed with an already stressful holiday.
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Post by m0drnmoonlight on Mar 20, 2023 10:39:17 GMT -5
This is a favorite of mine but I agree with you saying Peter Lerangis can be over the top. The chapter 2 in this WAS weird! I like how sassy he makes Claudia though XD
Kristy was an absolute pain in the ass. Putting Mallory on the spot to host the BSC party, then getting miffed with her because the tv crew wouldn't be around for it. I did like the part when the tv crew was filming at the Stoneybrook Manor boutique and Kristy was doing a commercial for the BSC in front of the cameras, then Claudia busts out laughing.
I did feel bad for the Pikes that their Christmas was ruined. But losing out on $10,000!
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Mar 20, 2023 19:38:15 GMT -5
$10,000 in 1995 is just shy of $20k now. That's a ridiculous amount of money to walk away from. Hell, I would have stuck it through even for 10k now.
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Post by oldmeanie on Mar 21, 2023 0:58:50 GMT -5
$10,000 in 1995 is just shy of $20k now. That's a ridiculous amount of money to walk away from. Hell, I would have stuck it through even for 10k now. To be fair I wouldn't have accepted the contract to begin with XD. I just found them so obnoxious I couldn't blame the Pikes. Maybe they should have just gone through with it then have a do-over off camera? Might not have been the same, but that's an alternate ending I thought of.
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Post by m0drnmoonlight on Mar 21, 2023 9:29:43 GMT -5
I'm guessing the Pikes didn't anticipate the cameras would be so intrusive. They could have done "second Christmas" after the filming stopped if they decided to stick it through for the money.
I liked the part when Jordan said he wanted his own phone and Claire gifted him her old toy Fisher Price one XD
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Post by oldmeanie on Mar 21, 2023 11:48:49 GMT -5
I'm guessing the Pikes didn't anticipate the cameras would be so intrusive. They could have done "second Christmas" after the filming stopped if they decided to stick it through for the money. I liked the part when Jordan said he wanted his own phone and Claire gifted him her old toy Fisher Price one XD I think the thing that killed Channel 3 for me was their behavior at the nursing home. It just felt so unprofessional and disrespectful. It's part of the reason I didn't mind the ending as much. That was cute. I think the gifts in this one were pretty good and it feels like the kids get each other's senses of humor.
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Post by m0drnmoonlight on Jun 12, 2023 9:09:26 GMT -5
I'm guessing the Pikes didn't anticipate the cameras would be so intrusive. They could have done "second Christmas" after the filming stopped if they decided to stick it through for the money. I liked the part when Jordan said he wanted his own phone and Claire gifted him her old toy Fisher Price one XD I think the thing that killed Channel 3 for me was their behavior at the nursing home. It just felt so unprofessional and disrespectful. It's part of the reason I didn't mind the ending as much. That was cute. I think the gifts in this one were pretty good and it feels like the kids get each other's senses of humor. Also, what an unprofessional film crew just barging in and not bothering to get prior approval at all these locations! Didn't the same thing happen at the Christmas tree farm? I work in tv and that's like rule number 1 if you're filming somewhere. Vanessa and her poetry are usually annoying but she had some good ones here. "Lamb stew, lamb stew, start with some herbs, then chop up the ewe" XD
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